Hornby.A.Model.World.S02E08.1080p.WEB-DL.H264.AAC-BRUH
Transcript
00:00This is Britain's biggest model-making company, home of four iconic brands, Hornby, Airfix,
00:13Scalextric and Corgi.
00:15That's terrific, that really does look good.
00:19Here it comes!
00:22In this series, we'll follow the designers as they strive to shrink a new generation
00:27of mighty machines.
00:28Literally the real thing in miniature.
00:31This is where as a kid I used to spot, I thought, if we could recreate that, that's what model
00:36rowers are all about.
00:37And everybody knows this logo, doesn't he?
00:39It's iconic.
00:40Yeah.
00:41And it's running absolutely beautifully in the wrong direction.
00:45From century-old steam engines to cutting-edge racing cars.
00:49It's going to be really exciting to be able to put that onto that smaller scale.
00:54This is what we do, we make pieces of art.
00:58I think we press the button, we go into production, let's get them in.
01:01And we'll marvel at some of Britain's best home builders.
01:04This is our layout, four seasons in one rotation.
01:08I think everybody likes something in miniature.
01:10There is my grandmother's shop.
01:12Creating entire worlds fit for these mini masterpieces.
01:22This time...
01:23OK, there's no fear from me, I'm not frightened.
01:27It's all aboard a Black Five.
01:29All right, that's the money shot there, that's a good one.
01:33As Phil gets pushed to his limits.
01:36Try not to swear.
01:37OK, so...
01:38Don't hold back, Phil.
01:40Millie clings on for dear life.
01:46Racing to complete a rallying replica.
01:48It's going in a million different directions.
01:52And slot cars take pole position.
01:55In a really nerdy kind of way, this is the nuts.
02:00As enthusiasts strive for the chequered flag.
02:03Oh, he's beaten me with the nine-magger!
02:07At Hornby, designers are at the heart of the business.
02:16Ranging from new recruits like Millie, who's fresh out of university.
02:19It's going to be a bit of fun to be able to kind of see my first proper car on the shelf.
02:25To veterans like Phil.
02:28Where do you fit it, how do you fit it?
02:29Because it goes above and below the footplate.
02:33But today is no ordinary day.
02:35I can't do it.
02:36Oh, my God, why is it so hard?
02:37Oh, my God, I can't do it.
02:43And whilst Phil participates in the latest of hundreds of design reviews he's faced.
02:47I think your next project, Phil, needs to be a wagon or something like that.
02:54You can't finish in a week.
02:57Product director Simon Kohler has assembled a crack team to arrange a big surprise.
03:04It's not easy in a rush, is it?
03:07Great Phil Morley has been with Hornby 20 years.
03:13Part of celebrating that is that he gets to wear a Hornby badge, which has the 20-year
03:20medallion.
03:22Too much dust on this computer.
03:26Yeah, he hasn't cleaned it in 20 years.
03:29It smells very balloony, doesn't it?
03:33Does everyone want to gather round for Phil's do?
03:35Yeah, let's go.
03:36I'm hungry.
03:37Hi.
03:38Shall we sing?
03:40Happy anniversary to you.
03:4520 years ago today, you, being a fresh-faced young whippersnapper, came into this company
03:56in that 20 years. You've actually done some brilliant work. I think your first job was
04:00the live steam controller. It was a tin box.
04:03Yeah, yeah. I was used to doing tin boxes.
04:05You were, weren't you?
04:06Originally, I was designing office furniture and equipment just over the road from here.
04:12They shut their UK plant down. There was an off chance I popped into Hornby and I got
04:18interviewed by the director and, yeah, they offered me the job. There and then. So, within
04:25a month, I was working at Hornby and not look back.
04:29This is a shock. Yeah, embarrassing. Yeah, anyway, here's to another, however many years.
04:36Well done, mate.
04:38Thank you.
04:42Really?
04:44Very good. That's the most action you'll see out of him today.
04:48Alright.
04:49It is a nice touch, but I don't like being centre of attention. And I did go red. And
04:56I did get sweaty. But it's just hot in here anyway. That's my excuse.
05:02Goodness me. I've got nowhere to eat my lunch.
05:11Though the company will always be synonymous with trains, another of its brand's Scalextric
05:18has been around over six decades. Its 1 to 32 scale models have encompassed everything
05:26from Formula 1 and elite racers to classics from days gone by and pop culture spin-offs.
05:40With such a varied output, head of brand Simon Owen must continually generate new ideas for
05:46what to do next.
05:48Ah, Simon.
05:50Hello.
05:51This is where you hide. You've got to put your desk in here, I reckon.
05:54It's warmer than the other parts of the building, isn't it?
05:55Yeah, it probably is. I need an update on cars, the sort of thing you've got in mind.
06:00We really haven't done much in the rally world recently, in the last few years. And I had
06:05a call with M Sport the other afternoon, and they've got this new Puma.
06:08Ah, is that the hybrid?
06:10It is, yeah. It's hybrid, so it's got that nice sort of green ethos to it, which we like,
06:14which hangs well in marketing at the moment. The livery is amazing, which obviously is
06:18a great plus point for us.
06:19It's about time we did rally again, yeah. Couldn't agree more.
06:22No, it's a good choice.
06:23Really?
06:24Yeah, good choice. Yeah, let's do it.
06:25Thank you very much.
06:26No, no.
06:27I shall put my toys away and get back to work.
06:28Lovely. I'll catch up with you later.
06:30Yeah, see you soon.
06:33With the Puma given the green light, it's at the start of its journey.
06:39But in the test centre...
06:43That looks so cool, doesn't it?
06:46Phil, Carl and Sam are testing something that's been years in the making.
06:52Just like the real thing.
06:54It's an in-built steam generator operated through a reservoir of water within.
06:59That's a really good amount of vapour as well coming out of that.
07:03We've added something to the water to make it linger in the air longer.
07:07The team are also using a sound decoder to try and synchronise the noise of the chuff
07:12with puffs of the smoke.
07:14Hello, Simon. Hello.
07:19This is amazing.
07:21It's getting there, isn't it?
07:23You're telling me it's getting there? I would have said it's got there.
07:27That's...
07:30The motion, the sound and the steam look to me to be in sync.
07:40Well, you can almost smell the bacon being cooked on the back of the shovel.
07:46I'm so excited. I love anything like this.
07:49Simon's hoping the steam generator can be incorporated
07:52in the company's latest reinvention project,
07:55a popular class of loco called the Black Five.
07:59I think we need to do it again.
08:01A total, total rebuild.
08:03That is a massive project.
08:05I know it's massive because I know there's 800-odd locos
08:10or different variants or whatever in the class.
08:13Remember, now we've got steam, proper steam.
08:17We've got sound.
08:19We ought to do, and I don't use this word very often,
08:23the ultimate Black Five.
08:26My mind's working already. Believe it or not, it does occasionally.
08:30Very occasionally.
08:32So, cover as many variations as possible.
08:35Yeah.
08:36Try and make it future-proof as possible.
08:38In decades to come, they'll probably look at the Black Five
08:42and they'll say, this was Phil's finest hour.
08:46OK, see some of you next week?
08:48Yeah, of course.
08:50Possibly your resignation.
08:54Take care. Thanks very much.
08:56Cheers.
08:57So, Phil's mission is a complete overhaul of the Black Five
09:01to create hundreds of variations capable of using technology
09:05which itself is still being developed.
09:08I'm filled with a bit of doom here, to be honest.
09:11I don't think we've ever done anything quite like this before.
09:14There's so much going on there.
09:16It's quite daunting, really.
09:18Fingers crossed. It'll all be good.
09:22It's a wet morning in Cumbria,
09:25and head of Scalextric, Simon, has brought new designer, Millie,
09:30to the HQ of World Rally Championship team, Emsport.
09:36It's a wet morning in Cumbria,
09:39and head of Scalextric, Simon, has brought new designer, Millie,
09:44to the HQ of World Rally Championship team, Emsport.
09:49It's a wet morning in Cumbria,
09:51and head of Scalextric, Simon, has brought new designer, Millie,
09:55to the HQ of World Rally Championship team, Emsport.
10:06They've come to see the Ford Puma Millie will be creating a replica of.
10:11So, welcome to our workshop.
10:14This is our production line for our Ford Puma Rally 1 hybrid cars,
10:18all new for 2022.
10:20It was victorious on its debut in Monte Carlo,
10:23probably one of the most difficult rallies in the WRC.
10:27I've never seen anything like this before,
10:29coming in, walking through the doors,
10:31and just seeing rows and rows of cars.
10:33It's just something else.
10:36When they told me that I was going to be doing this one,
10:39honestly, when I googled the car, I was like, wow.
10:42This is a cool car.
10:45It's going to be a very, very exciting car to get designing.
10:52It's crucial to grasp how the car is constructed
10:55to recreate it in miniature.
10:57It's a bit like an ethics kit in some ways.
10:59Big bits come off and big bits go back on,
11:01so it's all built into small sub-assemblies before it's fitted to the car.
11:06Millie must make the most of her visit to do some extra research
11:09using blueprints M Sport have provided her.
11:13Right, if I measure it, you can do the sketch.
11:15I am no Picasso.
11:19Precise measurements are required to scale everything down 32 times.
11:2475.
11:2575, perfect.
11:27She must also keep the number of separate parts to a minimum.
11:30Same with that one, where it's...
11:32Yeah, so you'd have that as a whole part,
11:34and then do that as decoration,
11:36so I think having that whole there and then putting a grill over the top,
11:39that cost price can go up and up and up.
11:42Just kind of making my way round the car
11:44to make sure I've got all the last little bits.
11:47Her work in the showroom may be nearly done.
11:50I think I've probably taken more than I need,
11:52but, you know, there's never enough photos that you can take.
11:57But unbeknownst to Millie,
11:59Simon's lined up a very different rally car experience.
12:03OK, Millie, so you'll be going out in this?
12:05Are you joking? You know I can't drive.
12:09Oh, my goodness.
12:11Though she won't be going out in a Puma,
12:13it's the nearest Millie will get to the real thing.
12:16What do I hold on to if I'm really scared?
12:18Nothing.
12:19Nothing, I'll just go.
12:21With any luck, she'll produce better rally cars,
12:23understanding what a rally car can do.
12:30I'm not going to say that I'm jealous.
12:32I'm more intensely, intensely jealous.
12:34Intensely jealous, I think.
12:38It's always good when you see cars in action
12:40because then it gives you a feel of how they're going to be on scalelectric.
12:43And if it's exciting, it's fun in real life,
12:45then it will translate straight away to a scalelectric set.
13:00Yeah, I'm not sure that's the tyres screaming or Millie screaming,
13:03but it's one of the two, or both.
13:09We're probably hitting 100, 100 and something down the back end there, yeah.
13:11But it's the acceleration, it's the G-force.
13:13That's the thing that takes people's breath away.
13:20I'm sure she'll find our drive home a bit more relaxing now, that's for sure.
13:26She's only been with the company three months,
13:28but Millie's had an experience of a lifetime.
13:34I don't really know how to describe it to be honest.
13:36Like, terrifying fun.
13:40I feel like I can breathe now.
13:42When it's kind of, you know, drifting around the corners,
13:45like, you know, that's a real track,
13:47but at some point it's going to be on this tiny little track.
13:49So that's going to be really, really exciting.
13:52It's like, be able to kind of put that onto that smaller scale.
14:04Back in the slightly less fast-paced world of the office...
14:09..veteran designer Phil is on a project
14:11which goes beyond anything he's encountered in his career.
14:14See, it's definitely why I need glasses.
14:17With a mountain of research to wade through.
14:2015, 16, 17, 18.
14:24There's 18 books here.
14:26On the black five.
14:28I've got quite an array of books on my desk at the moment,
14:31but there do seem to be some conflicting information between them,
14:34which I'm going to be talking to a researcher about
14:37to try and get to the bottom of.
14:40Ah, excellent. Hello.
14:42All right, mate? How's it going?
14:44Good, thank you.
14:47The sheer scope of the black five class is mind-boggling.
14:52So there are 800-plus black fives.
14:55They were designed to be quite a catch-all,
14:57go anywhere, do anything locomotive.
15:00And it's just ended up with so many different features across all of them.
15:05It's just a minefield.
15:08Phil's perplexing task is to try and create a design framework
15:12for virtually all of them.
15:14See? Yep.
15:16That's got the webbing on that one, but it's not on others.
15:20It's driving me nuts at the moment.
15:23So Sam's helping to create a matrix,
15:26cataloguing each subtle difference
15:28so they can produce any particular model in the years to come.
15:32As much information as we can compile now will help me or future me.
15:37I'm looking through here and it's bonkers,
15:39the amount of stuff we've got to try and cram in there.
15:47A few weeks after the visit to M Sport,
15:49new designer Millie is having her own struggles with the Puma.
15:53The livery on it is so exciting with all the different colours and everything,
15:57but it does make it kind of difficult to see where the curves sometimes go.
16:01There's so many surfaces going in what feels like a million different directions.
16:07Hi, Millie. How's it going?
16:09Yeah, not too bad, thanks. How about you?
16:11So she's calling on the expertise of senior designer Darren
16:14to give her a flying start on her first major design for the company.
16:18So where are you with it at the moment?
16:20It's good, yeah. It's definitely coming together.
16:22I've sort of finished doing the outside surfaces,
16:25so I've just started doing the inner ones.
16:27There are definitely a few bits I think might cause a little bit of an issue,
16:31but I'm sure we'll find a way around them.
16:34Millie must keep the number of parts to a minimum
16:37to avoid moulding costs escalating,
16:40and that may impact how she tackles specific features.
16:44These vents on the side and on the bonnet
16:46are probably going to be the trickiest areas of the car
16:49because we can't mould it directly onto the body.
16:52Because there's so much detail underneath there,
16:54how do you think we would go about doing that?
16:57The difficulty here is that that mesh is very, very fine on the car.
17:02I think the way to make this decision
17:04is to take a look at some photos of the car
17:07and to see at distance if you can still see that detail on it.
17:11This is a good example.
17:13The front vent there, there is actually a lot of detail behind that,
17:16but you can't see it, so I think we can probably flatten that off
17:20and print that mesh detail on.
17:22Yeah.
17:23It's quite easy to get bogged down in the details.
17:25There are definitely parts that I stared at for about an hour
17:28not knowing what to do with them,
17:30so it's good to be able to go through that with someone else.
17:35One man who'll be eagerly awaiting Millie's inaugural design
17:40is slot car enthusiast Pete Brown.
17:44Trying to keep the car on the track is one of the few things
17:47that actually stops me thinking about my day job.
17:51A tyler by trade, Pete has become an unlikely YouTube star.
17:56Track 13, unlucky for some, hopefully it'll be lucky for me.
17:59Double jump, one jump, two jumps, here we go.
18:03In the lockdown, my nephew turned seven,
18:05we bought him a set for his birthday.
18:08We wanted to show him some tracks, but we couldn't go over there.
18:11Hey, Albert, look at the size of that jump there.
18:14What do you reckon?
18:15So we started to produce some videos on YouTube
18:18and sent them over to him.
18:20We didn't realise, because they're public,
18:22that everyone would be looking at it,
18:24and then, well, everyone is looking at it now.
18:27Some of these.
18:29Now, with restrictions lifted,
18:31Pete often invites nephew Albert around to race.
18:36But before their next Grand Prix, he needs to create an arena.
18:41OK, tyre walls makes any track.
18:44We have gantries, corners, road cones, you know?
18:51This is where my life has come to.
18:53I get excited over painting road cones now.
18:58The sky's the limit, it just stops where your imagination stops.
19:02A bit of space for a crash.
19:04And that's why I like it, and I think that's why people get into it.
19:07Being an ex-military man, I do like a routine.
19:10Putting the barriers on the corners,
19:12just cannot tell you how much of a godsend it is.
19:15Trusty Dunlop bridge.
19:17Anyone with stock car needs a Dunlop bridge in their lives.
19:24So we've got a pit stop, we've got a crash scene.
19:27Now, where's my martini stand?
19:31OK, ready? Ready to race?
19:35To practise for his encounter with Albert...
19:37Start your engines.
19:38..Pete's using an app to record his lap times.
19:41Tense. Here we go.
19:43And we're off.
19:45Straight in there, round into Hammerhead.
19:47Oh, he's off the track! No, I'm off the track!
19:50Hang on.
19:51That's going to affect my lap times.
19:53I'm going to have to do it again.
19:55Here we go, I'm going to take it easy,
19:57cos I don't need to be going off the track again.
20:00Here we go, he brings it in.
20:02That's it. That is it.
20:04Let's have a quick look.
20:06Best lap time, 9.12 seconds.
20:09Yeah, that was pretty dreadful lap times.
20:12The slow lap times might not be the driver's fault.
20:16I've got to be careful.
20:18I've got to be careful.
20:20I've got to be careful.
20:22I've got to be careful.
20:25When you actually go round a few times,
20:28you'll notice it starts to slide around
20:31cos of the dust that's collated on the track.
20:33So a good trick is to get a bit of masking tape.
20:36Oh, my good Lord.
20:38The dirt coming off the tyres is incredible.
20:42So hopefully, by giving these, well, a massive clean,
20:46we're going to get better lap times.
20:48Brings it round into Drift Circle, into Bentley.
20:51I do like to do a bit of commentary
20:53when I'm racing for myself.
20:55I think it adds to the excitement.
20:57Excellent.
20:58This car's handling much better
21:00now that we've cleaned the tyres, for sure.
21:03Yes, we did a better fastest lap time.
21:06Almost a second quicker than when I had dirty tyres.
21:10Pete's pit stop has done the trick.
21:13To gamble on cornering.
21:15But he might need to improve his cornering
21:17to stand any chance against his nephew.
21:20Oh, no, I'm off the track!
21:23That's popped in for a martini.
21:41In Margate, designers young and old
21:44continue with complicated new projects.
21:50It's cool to actually see it. It's starting to look like a car.
21:53Phil and researcher Sam are taking a break from their books...
21:57Oh, there she is. There it is.
22:00..to visit one of the 842 Black 5s.
22:03Big good, innit? Yeah.
22:06..housed at the locomotive storage company next door.
22:10It is a bit of a base, isn't it? It's huge.
22:14Phil has special permission to scrutinise every inch.
22:19So, I'm going to go chimpanzee mode and start climbing.
22:23And that means mounting the footplate for a closer look.
22:27OK, there's no fear from me. You're all right. I'm not frightened.
22:32Phil intends to position a measuring stick
22:35to act as a reference in photos that Sam will take.
22:38All I'm hoping is you're not going to be showing any thin inside.
22:42I'm not going to be showing any thinning hair on the back of my head.
22:46Every feature of note will be sized up.
22:49Could you take a photograph, please, of this tricky little shape here?
22:54You've got to try and get all these sort of details in.
22:57If I don't, it'll be missed, and I don't want it to be missed.
23:00There's a lot of rivets and there's a lot of bolts on top of here.
23:03And as we know, you've got to count them.
23:05I can't miss any off. It's got to be right.
23:08You're going to have to do some climbing, I'm afraid.
23:11Phil can easily ditch the jacket. Sam scales the beast.
23:15So you want to climb right up, so you're looking down at your feet.
23:20That's steam cover. If you can come in on that.
23:24All right, that's the money shot there. That's a good one.
23:27Up the top there.
23:30They call it a clothed locomotive when you've got all of the cladding on,
23:35all the metalwork on the outside.
23:37That's the essence of what I've got to try and capture.
23:40It's going to be tough because you do have cost restrictions.
23:45But for now, I'm going to go all bells and whistles.
23:53Sam's camera skills are put further to the test in the cramped cab.
23:58Yeah, I want to get a full length of that regulator there.
24:03And maybe here, the height of that seat, if we can.
24:07See, I'm getting all bossy now, aren't I?
24:09I think that'll do for now.
24:12Unless you see the thing for real, you will miss stuff.
24:15You can't get a feel for it.
24:17There was some stuff here that I didn't even realise
24:20were that particular shape.
24:22So it was really beautiful.
24:30In the test centre,
24:32Millie's doing important research with Darren on a much smaller scale.
24:36Here's a sample. That's the four-wheel drive system.
24:39And we've got two two-wheel drives to compare against.
24:42Yep.
24:43Cornering ability is key to any racing car design,
24:46especially so in the replica Millie is creating.
24:50Because the real Puma World Rally car is four-wheel drive,
24:54we obviously want to match it to reality.
24:58It's 15 years since the company produced a four-wheel drive Subaru,
25:02so Millie is putting it through its paces
25:05against a two-wheel drive system.
25:07Darren, you seem to be struggling there a bit.
25:09To be honest, I am a little bit, yeah.
25:11There's a lot of curves in this one,
25:13and I'm trying to keep up with you,
25:15but you're obviously quicker around the corners.
25:17It definitely feels a lot more controlled,
25:19like I'm not spinning off all over the place.
25:21It feels a lot more like, OK, I'm actually going to stay on the track
25:24rather than be like, ooh.
25:25Yeah, because all four wheels are in contact with the track,
25:28it's giving you better grip.
25:30Yeah. Because it's four-wheel drive,
25:32does that make it harder to design?
25:35It will have a few more challenges.
25:39One of the main differences between the two systems
25:42is a band which drives the wheels.
25:45So this is the key component here,
25:47and again, we need to make sure the tension in this is correct.
25:50Too slack and it's not going to drive the front wheels very well.
25:53Too tight and it could cause some other assembly issues.
25:56Millie will have to incorporate this in her design.
25:59We're just going to race around without the tops on.
26:02You can actually see the mechanics working, see the gearing
26:06and get a better view of exactly what's happening inside.
26:09It looks so strange without the tops on.
26:12Yeah.
26:13For a designer still just a few months into the job,
26:16it's a lot to take on board.
26:19The more I get into this project, the more excited I am
26:22and I'm learning so much as I'm going through it.
26:25It's been a little while since there's been a four-wheel drive,
26:28so, you know, no pressure.
26:31As Millie starts to ponder this additional complication,
26:35brand head Simon has travelled to the British Motor Museum for Slotfest,
26:40a key event in the company's promotional calendar.
26:44This is the biggest slot car event in the world,
26:47which is really for our core, hardcore consumers to come in,
26:50try out all of these great tracks and generally chat slot cars,
26:54buy slot cars, sell slot cars.
26:56It's everything you can imagine about the hobby.
27:01YouTuber Pete is also here to get content for his channel...
27:07..as well as embarking on a treasure hunt.
27:10The other mission is to find the Skellectric Dodge Viper
27:14blue livery with yellow stripe.
27:17It's the banner image on our YouTube channel
27:20and, unfortunately, over the two years,
27:22our one has got hammered by me and Albert,
27:24so we need to go and we need to go quick because people are in there.
27:28I've overtly said I'm looking for this car.
27:30They might buy it and hold me to ransom.
27:32So he mustn't get sidetracked...
27:35..by other temptations.
27:37However, I have seen a slotted Porsche 962.
27:41How much is this?
27:43Er, 30.
27:45That's tempting because my Gennetta G60 is destroyed.
27:49Have you got Dodge Viper by Skellectrics?
27:54Nope.
27:58Meanwhile, Simon's immersed himself in a model rally world.
28:04So, that was a 32.6 on your practice go.
28:07Rubbish. You can go again.
28:09Gaining further intel on how Millie's car will need to perform.
28:13Much better start.
28:15So, back down the hill, past the roadworks,
28:17round the first hairpin, round the second hairpin,
28:20towards the icy lake.
28:21It's just really, really important to have a car that's durable
28:24to make sure it can cope with this sort of use,
28:26not just a standard track.
28:29Back at the trading tables...
28:31There's a blue one in a box up there on the left-hand counter.
28:34Oh, is there? Where? That way? Yeah.
28:36Oh, OK.
28:38Pete's had a tip-off on his Dodge Viper hunt.
28:42Get in there. I found it.
28:44The Holy Grail.
28:46Hair's on the back of my neck that I found this.
28:48This is, in a really nerdy kind of way, this is the nuts.
28:53But there's only one way to find out if it's the real deal.
28:58An impromptu race.
29:00Yes!
29:02Oh, yeah, I like this. This is quality.
29:04We're drifting everything.
29:06Look at that. Love it.
29:09But he's not going hell for leather this time.
29:13I think I'll race it a little bit
29:15and then I might put it in a brighter place on the shelf somewhere.
29:18It's taken a long time to find this.
29:20One that works anyway.
29:22And...
29:24I think I want to keep it like that.
29:33In Margate, Phil's Black 5 project has also picked up the pace.
29:39Since we took the photographs of the Black 5,
29:41I was able to come back here and make some decent progress on the model.
29:46He's working on three main designs
29:48which will be the first to be produced,
29:50featuring the more common variations within the class.
29:54One of which has a shorter wheelbase,
29:56as per the full-sized loco he visited.
30:00What I've got on the screen at the moment
30:02is an accumulation of all the parts
30:04to produce a model of that particular type.
30:10Despite establishing these core groups,
30:12the list of further variations within them remains astonishing.
30:16So we've got three chassis versions,
30:19as well as two of the bodies,
30:22as well as the different smokebox doors,
30:25the different chimneys are on there,
30:27and the two snowploughs.
30:29We've got a later one here which actually had a seat fitted in it,
30:32which I don't know if many people know about that,
30:35but the one that we photographed definitely had a seat on it.
30:38Hopefully I have covered everything,
30:40but I may have missed something. I'm not infallible.
30:46Phil's even made room for a steam generator
30:49and sound decoder in the boiler section.
30:52It is pretty tight in there.
30:57To ensure there's enough room...
30:59Phil!
31:00..Chris is bringing the latest decoder chip for measuring.
31:03Ooh! That's quite chunky, that.
31:06Penny has slightly modified it to make it bigger, but it's...
31:10Oh, that's nice of him, isn't it?
31:12I love it when he makes things bigger.
31:14It's only half a mil bigger in one direction.
31:17That is quite a bit bigger.
31:19How much bigger?
31:21Close to a mil.
31:23So that's... Oh, God.
31:25Right, OK.
31:26This is set to the 6.5 that was originally told.
31:30You see, it just fits on top there quite nicely.
31:33Yep.
31:34If I increase that...
31:36There.
31:37That's too tight there.
31:39So what does that mean in terms of fitment, then?
31:42It's not going to fit there.
31:43Yeah, it's going to have to move locationally.
31:45It's got to.
31:46I'm trying not to swear.
31:48OK, yeah.
31:49All right?
31:50Don't hold back, Phil.
31:51Yeah.
31:54You're killing me, man.
31:56Right, OK.
31:57Leave it with me. I'll have a look.
31:59I'll see what I can do.
32:00Lovely.
32:01This little swine here is going to give me a real headache.
32:04I will get it in there.
32:06It will fit somehow.
32:14MUSIC
32:22At HQ, some of the team are gathering in the conference room
32:26for the most important moment so far in Millie's burgeoning career.
32:32Hello, Darren.
32:34Her final design review.
32:36Yep, OK, sounds good. I'll come through now.
32:40Guess it's showtime.
32:43CEO Lyndon Davis also wants his first glimpse of the new designer's work.
32:49Hi, Millie. Come in. Grab a seat.
32:54OK, Millie, we're ready to see it.
32:56OK, so this is the final finished Ford Puma.
33:00Darren, last time we talked, obviously the vents were quite an issue,
33:03so I've kind of ironed them out a bit.
33:06So a few of the vents that we've got are just moulded onto the car
33:09and then some of them have etchings on
33:11so you can see the detail behind it.
33:13That's going to be really complicated to assemble.
33:16Nah, we'll be all right, Dan. Don't worry.
33:20One aspect Millie has been able to achieve is even a surprise to Lyndon.
33:25So, Millie, I think we should also show Lyndon and the rest of the guys
33:29how we've tackled the four-wheel drive scenario.
33:31It's four-wheel drive, is it?
33:33Yeah, obviously we try and replicate real life as close as we can.
33:37So we've got our pulleys here and then it hooks on at the back.
33:42Oh, OK, yeah, yeah.
33:43It gives us the option of switching out to a two-wheel drive
33:46if we ever want to as well.
33:47It looks really good. Well done.
33:50Cheers, guys.
33:51Gaining the CEO's approval is a huge milestone for Millie.
33:56But another big test is waiting just around the corner.
34:00Next stage will be to get it printed
34:03and actually whiz it round the track and see how that goes.
34:19Slot car enthusiast Pete is also in the mood to race,
34:23awaiting the arrival of nephew Albert.
34:25We're going to teach him some mechanics as well as some racing.
34:28It's going to be fantastic.
34:30But he's taking precautions with his newfound treasure.
34:34The Dodge Viper is home and I've raced it,
34:38but I think I'm going to put it on the shelf
34:40and bring it out on my birthday only.
34:44And that may be for the best, as Albert approaches with his dad Vince.
34:50It's like going back to when I was Albert's age,
34:53messing around in my brother's room as a little kid,
34:56wrecking all of his skeletons, and nothing has changed to this day.
34:59We still just come round and smash up his cars.
35:01Hey Albert, how are you? How are you doing?
35:04Come on in. Come on in. How are you doing, my man?
35:06Good to see you, matey.
35:08Good to see you. Come on in. Are you ready to race?
35:11What shall we fix first? What's your favourite car?
35:14This one.
35:15This one's your favourite?
35:16Yeah.
35:17Cool. Can you pass my glasses there, please?
35:20Before the carnage on the track, Pete's passing on some quick-fix tips.
35:25Those wires are OK?
35:26Yep.
35:27Yep. Wires on the front bit?
35:30Yeah.
35:31Yeah? So we need a tyre, really, don't we?
35:33Yeah.
35:34Hmm. Where can we borrow a tyre from?
35:37This is the bit.
35:39I think this might be fixed.
35:41Yeah.
35:42You going to try it?
35:44Go for it. Go on.
35:49Right. Is that full blast?
35:52Is that full power?
35:54Full power.
35:55Might need to have another look at it.
35:57The purple racer will have to go back to the garage,
36:01but Pete has a substitute up his sleeve.
36:04That's so cool.
36:06Start your engines.
36:07The race is on.
36:09Here we go. The countdown is on. Ready?
36:13Oh, he's on, he's on. I've got a Mercedes on the game.
36:16Slow and steady is going to win the race.
36:19Oh, he can make it. Come on, come on, come on.
36:21Drift, drift, drift, drift. Mine's driftinging.
36:23Oh, he's passed me again.
36:26No, he's going to win this race.
36:28No, he's won.
36:30Albert's the winner. Well done. Yes.
36:33When we're driving, we just go full power
36:37probably because we like crashes.
36:40Yeah, on a scale of one to ten,
36:42I think we're getting up to nine out of ten,
36:44ten out of ten at the moment.
36:46The track's working, the chips are working,
36:48Albert's buzzing, I'm buzzing,
36:50so, I mean, long may it continue.
36:52Long may it continue all day.
36:56Oh, he's beating me with the nine-by-nine.
37:00Woo-hoo! That was amazing.
37:07In Margate, a year has passed
37:09since Phil started the Black 5 project.
37:12Oh. Ooh.
37:14But with the veteran designer having a well-earned rest
37:17on annual leave in Mexico...
37:19That's a nice touch.
37:21..it's down to Simon and Carl
37:23to assess the first 3D prototype.
37:26Go on, lad.
37:29This is good. It really, really looks the business.
37:32I suppose to the untrained eye,
37:34it just looks like a grey plastic cap around the track.
37:38No, I think it's fabulous.
37:40Already, I mean, it looks better than our current Black 5 model.
37:43The detail's a lot finer,
37:44especially the footplate and areas like that.
37:48Despite his struggles with the resized sound decoder,
37:51Phil eventually managed to fit it in the tender,
37:54as well as making room for some other nifty tech.
37:58So, it's got a 5-ox glow, yeah? Yeah.
38:01And what are the goodies?
38:03The plan is to have lights on the tender
38:05and on the front of the locomotive. Right.
38:07We'll have the steam generator
38:09and, obviously, the atomiser and the reservoir for the water.
38:12So, really, what we've got here, then,
38:15is the most technically advanced loco we've actually ever produced.
38:20Yeah, it is.
38:21Even though he's away,
38:23Phil has left Carl with instructions to call with any important updates.
38:28Hello, mate. You all right?
38:30Hola. How you doing?
38:32All good. Hola.
38:33Oh, you look very tanned.
38:35A product check from over 5,000 miles away
38:38might not be conventional.
38:40Can you see?
38:41Oh, that is nice.
38:43But Phil's itching to get Simon's feedback.
38:46I think you've done a cracking job, to be honest.
38:49I think it's really very good.
38:51It's taken a while to get there, hasn't it?
38:53Well, yes, it has, actually.
38:55I mean, when you consider you were 16 when you started it.
38:58So, yeah.
39:00No, mate, it's really good.
39:02You should be really proud of this.
39:04Is there anything else we can put in it?
39:06That's what I want. What about a kitchen sink?
39:08It has to be a period kitchen sink.
39:10Yeah.
39:12Look, at the end of the day, seriously,
39:14it's going to be marvellous.
39:16Thanks, Phil. It does look really good.
39:18Now, go and get back to your tequila.
39:22So, as Phil takes Karl literally...
39:28..Simon can start to plan long-term
39:30for the 800-plus Black 5 variations.
39:33He's done virtually all the variants in his design,
39:37so that is at least 10, 12, 14 years' worth of models
39:43that we can work with.
39:45He deserves a holiday after that, cos, yeah, can't knock it.
39:50That is a world beater.
39:59A week on from the design review,
40:02Millie's on her way for an important 3D test of her own.
40:06Hi, Don. How's it going?
40:08Hi, Millie. Ooh, is this for me?
40:10It is, yeah.
40:11Oh, it looks amazing. Thank you so much.
40:13Looks great. Can't wait to whizz it around the track.
40:16Don't break it. I will certainly try.
40:20See you later.
40:23Millie and colleague Oscar are going to give the prototype
40:26a trial run on the daddy of all racetracks.
40:30So, this is the Silverstone layout.
40:32Oh, nice.
40:33It's definitely a good track to test this on. Definitely.
40:36Hopefully it actually works.
40:41But how will the rallying replica do
40:43on a mock-up of such a challenging circuit?
40:47You know what? I think the four-wheel drive is a game-changer.
40:50It feels like it's going round all the wiggles really quickly.
40:53It looks very smooth. Yeah.
40:55It's quiet, which is a good indication
40:58that everything's meshing well.
41:01Millie's barely had a chance to complete a practice lap
41:04before they're joined by Lyndon and Darren.
41:06Look at that.
41:08How's it going? Bad timing.
41:10Where are we up to?
41:12It's working, for the most part.
41:15Yeah, it actually goes round really nicely as well,
41:17if any of you guys want to have a go.
41:19I just want to see it, that's all.
41:21That, do you know, that's really good, Millie.
41:23Thank you. I like the design.
41:25I like the way the things are coming together on it
41:28and that back end there looks brilliant.
41:30It's really, really good. Thank you.
41:32Yeah, I'm pretty happy with it.
41:35It's so good, even the CEO can't resist having a quick spin.
41:39But again, that four-wheel drive does affect it, doesn't it?
41:43It does. It's not just a novelty. Yeah.
41:46It's good for beginners.
41:48Yeah, it really handles well. That's good.
41:50The drive's really, really good.
41:52Brilliant, absolutely brilliant.
41:54Apart from here, on the kerb, where I come off every time.
41:58Yeah, Millie, you've done an excellent job there.
42:00Thank you.
42:02So you've got to go on to the next project.
42:04Yep, get started on the next one.
42:06So it was a little bit nerve-wracking
42:08because you never really know what people are going to say,
42:10especially Lyndon.
42:12So it was good to kind of get some nice feedback
42:15and I'm really excited for people to actually buy it.
42:18It's really turned out well and I'm really proud of myself for it.
42:24What we've got now is young, enthusiastic engineers
42:27who don't have the barriers.
42:29They're not thinking, well, we've always done it this way,
42:31that's how we're going to do it.
42:33They are creatively thinking and that is really exciting.
42:42For Millie, Phil, Sam and Darren,
42:46design expertise and intricate research
42:48has ensured two more exciting products are well on their way to market.
42:55Next time...
42:56It's on max speed.
42:58..a heavyweight steam loco...
43:00I haven't done anything this heavy before.
43:02..struggles to get up to speed.
43:04Oh, dear. Oh, dear, oh, dear.
43:07A young modelling enthusiast...
43:09Confidence is key.
43:11..is bringing down the house.
43:13And then I came downstairs and went, well, there's a few more holes.
43:19And an iconic plane...
43:21It's a priceless piece of British history.
43:23..with a long overdue model update.
43:26I don't think I've ever been that close.
43:28I can really feel it.
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